Shops, markets and bakeries remained closed across parts of Punjab as a statewide bandh over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota affected transport services, with protesters demanding justice and action against officials.
Notably, Protesters gathered at Moga Chowk following the statewide shutdown call today over the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. They were later detained by the Police.
In the wake of the statewide shutdown, heavy security deployment has been made across Mansa.
Weighing in on the situation, Bathinda Range DIG Harjeet Singh said, “We are ensuring that emergency services are not affected. We are also in touch with the protesters. We will ensure that normal life is not affected.”
Providing updates on the ongoing investigation, the DIG added, “The main accused has been arrested; one more individual has also been arrested along with him. They will be produced before the Court soon.”
The bandh call follows the killing of Jhota, an anti-drug activist from Mansa district who was allegedly shot by a medical shop owner on Tuesday. He was taken to a hospital after sustaining bullet injuries but later succumbed to them.
Jhota’s father, Bhim Singh, had criticised the state administration over its failure to prevent the attack and demanded accountability from the Chief Minister and the DGP. He also called for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Earlier, the Punjab Police, in a joint operation with Rajasthan Police, arrested the alleged main shooter from Salasar in Rajasthan on Wednesday, officials said.
According to Salasar Station House Officer (SHO) Shankar Lal Bhari, the accused was arrested from Shri Ganganagar Dharamshala near the Salasar Balaji Temple, where he was reportedly hiding in disguise.
Meanwhile, locals blocked the Bathinda-Mansa road near Bhaini Bagha village in response to the call for a Punjab Bandh today.
A leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) said various farmers’ and workers’ organisations, including the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Punjab, had jointly called for the statewide bandh.
“There is a call for Punjab Bandh today. All the unions of KMM, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Punjab, all together called a Punjab Bandh to the Punjabis,” the leader said.
The leader also announced further protests against the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government, accusing it of failing to control drug-related activities in the state.
“And to make this bandh more successful, we will burn the ashes of the Bhagwant Mann government. By doing their dope test at various places, we will expose the truth in front of them,” the leader said.
Questioning the state government’s claim of following a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs, the leader said, “Bhagwant Mann ji is telling the state that we have zero tolerance against drugs. This is being untruthful to the state. The maximum drug sale is taking place under the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab.”
The leader also criticised the state government’s response to Jhota’s murder and rejected the suggestion that the killing stemmed from personal rivalry.
The KMM leader called for the resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Director General of Police (DGP), alleging that the law-and-order situation in the state had deteriorated. “We say the honourable Chief Minister should resign,” the leader said.
” DGP should resign himself. Because law and order is not good and this means massacres are taking place in Punjab,” the leader added.
Notably, Women Inspector Beant Kaur, Station House Officer (SHO) of City Police Station-2 in Mansa, has been suspended with immediate effect by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vaibhav Chaudhary in connection with the murder of Parvinder Singh Jhota.
According to an order issued by the Office of the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mansa, on October 15, Beant Kaur has been placed under suspension with immediate effect.
“Women Inspector Beant Kaur, Station House Officer (SHO), Police Station City-2, Mansa, is hereby suspended with immediate effect,” the order stated.
Amritsar Police Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill warned that strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to force shopkeepers to close their establishments or disturb public order.
Additionally, NHRC took cognisance of the anti-drug activist death incident, demanding an Action Taken Report from the concerned authorities regarding the investigation into the incident and action against those behind the incident.
In its letter, NHRC, based on the complaint, also requested the chief secretary to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of individuals working against drug abuse and to prevent such incidents in the future.
Jhota’s mother alleged that her son frequently expressed fear for his life, claiming that he had many enemies who wanted him killed, and demanded severe punishment for the drug mafia in the state.
She further claimed that the police did not even inform the family about the incident. Mother’s remarks came after the father of the anti-drug activist appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure the security of his grandchildren, alleging that the Punjab government failed to protect his son.
Vowing to continue the fight against drugs, Jhota’s father said that he would keep raising his voice against the drug menace for as long as he lived.
Earlier, Punjab Police, citing a preliminary investigation, had said the incident was allegedly motivated by “personal enmity”. Police had also said that multiple teams were formed to apprehend the prime suspect and that an associate of the suspect had been arrested.
Notably, he was known for exposing the alleged illegal sale of addictive drugs at local chemist shops.
Jhota was conducting a live session on Facebook when he confronted the chemist outside his shop over the alleged sale of drugs. In the five-minute video, he was seen accompanied by an elderly man who claimed to have purchased drugs from the shop. The confrontation soon escalated into a heated argument, during which the shop owner was seen holding a pistol.
“Maar mujhe, maar mujhe (kill me, kill me),” he kept telling the owner.
“Why have you kept a pistol,” he asks the owner.
He was also heard telling his associates to call the police and gather more men.
In the video, Jhota can be heard asking the shopkeeper to show the CCTV footage.
The shopkeeper asked the elderly man whether he took ‘drugs’ from him, to which Parvinder Jhota responds, “Yes, we have the recording”.
The argument continued for around four minutes before the shopkeeper opened fire, killing Jhota.
Jhota’s mobile phone then fell to the ground, ending the live recording. The owner of the shop is on the run.
BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu criticised the state government over the incident, alleging a breakdown of law and order in Punjab.
“Punjab is in the grip of fear and lawlessness. Police personnel are being murdered, citizens like Parwinder Jhota are targeted, and gangsters roam fearlessly,” Bittu said in a post on X.
Questioning Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s handling of the Home portfolio, Bittu added, “With Bhagwant Mann holding the Home portfolio, who will protect Punjab when the government has failed to protect its own people?”
“The murder that took place in Mansa is highly condemnable, and information is coming in that this murder was committed by a person running a chemist shop No person in Punjab is permitted to take the law into their own hands, strict action will be taken against the guilty,” he said.
The father of anti-drug activist Parminder Singh Jhota has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister to ensure the security of his grandchildren, alleging that the Punjab government failed to provide protection to his son.
Speaking amid protests following Jhota’s killing, his father said that the family had not received protection from the state government and that his grandchildren were now also facing a threat.
“The Punjab government did not provide him with any security. Nobody protected us. Now, even my grandchildren are at risk. I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister to make arrangements for my grandchildren’s security,” he said.
Parvinder Singh Jhota was a Mansa-based anti-drug activist in Punjab, known for confronting suspected drug peddlers and exposing the alleged illegal sale of addictive pharmaceutical drugs through chemist shops. A former freestyle kabaddi player, he later devoted himself to campaigning against drug abuse in the region.
Jhota formed an Anti-Drug Task Force and launched the campaign ‘Nasha Roko, Rozgar Do’ (Stop Drugs, Provide Employment), which reportedly inspired similar initiatives in villages across the Mansa and Bathinda areas. He frequently used Facebook Live to document confrontations with suspected drug sellers and highlight the drug menace.
In 2023, he first came into light after an incident involving a chemist shop owner whom he and his supporters allegedly confronted.
